Austin American Statesman: Get Organized for Spring

April 05, 2008

Life Guide by Sarah Lindner

Need a little inspiration for spring clutter-clearing and organization? Austin organizer Lorie Marrero has some ideas:

Closets: If you haven’t already, put away your cold-weather clothing or move it out of the main part of your closet. Marrero’s Web site sells dividers to help you create sections in your closet for different seasons (and even different sizes) of clothing.

Sort through kids’ clothing and manage any hand-me-downs. Put clothing you’re storing in clear containers labeled with gender and size.

Bathroom: You’ll likely be spending more time outdoors soon, so it’s time to restock your first-aid kit. Replace sunscreen that’s been around a year or longer and buy insect repellent. Check your supplies of bandages and antibiotic ointment.

Also, take a look at the soaps, lotions and other products you received during the holidays. Any you’re not using should be discarded.

Kitchen: Likewise, whatever you haven’t nibbled on from holiday gift baskets or boxes of Valentine’s candy should be tossed from your pantry. Organize your refrigerator to make room for seasonal produce.

Home office: You’ve already dipped into your files to work on your taxes, so it’s a great time to do some maintenance. In fact, the third week in April is Organize Your Files Week.